Closure and feeder for tobacco-bags.



No. 672,860. Patented Apr. 23, 19m. 0 R. SIEGEL.

CLOSURE AND FEEDER FOR TOBACCO BAGS.

(Application filed Nov. 22, 1900.) Hie-Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. SIEGIEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO ALEXANDER L. MOMILLAN AND CHARLES H. BREDIN, OF WASH- INGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CLOSURE AND FEEDER FOR TOBACCO-BAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 672,860, dated April 23, 1901. Application filed November 22, 1900. $erial No. 37,393. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. SIEGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures and Feeders for Tobacco-Bags; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a closure and feeder for tobacco-bags, and has for its object to provide means for automatically holding the bag closed and for feeding the tobacco out regularly and evenly in definite quantities when it is desired to use the same.

To this end the invention consists of the device hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view in elevation; Fig. 2, a vertical section; Fig. 3, a plan view showing bag open; Fig. 4:, a detail view of spring, and Fig. 5 a transverse section through the flap.

Iain aware that spring-closures are old; but in none of the bags having such closures are the bags themselves or the closure devices so constructed and arranged as to feed out the contents in definite quantities by the operation of. the spring. To accomplish this result is the principal object of my invention.

. Referring to the drawings, A is a tobaccobag of the ordinary form in which tobacco is sold.

My invention by reason of its simplicity and cheapness is particularly adapted for use in the original-package bags in'which the tobacco issold, but may also be applied to other tobacco-pouches or to other bags adapted to contain material similar to tobacco.

B is a curved nou-volute spring ext-ending down into the bag a short distance from the mouth and lying directly opposite the mouth. The spring is formed in one continuous curve without bend or twist, so as to bend uniformly for its whole length and be forced back into the bag when bent for the purpose hereinafter described. The spring is of such length and curved to such degree that the lowest portion of the spring extends, approximately, to half an inch from the edge of the mouth, forming one side of an ellipse, of which the edge of the mouth of the bag is the axis.

This distance may vary with bags of diiferent sizes; but in all cases it is essential that the spring extend sufficiently far into the bag to permit the recoil of the spring to throw for-.

ward a small but definite quantity of tobacco to the opening, but not so far as to prevent.

the action of the spring by the surrounding closelypacked tobacco.- The spring must also be placed near the mouth in order to obstruct or check the flow of tobacco and prevent a large amount falling out when the contents are fed out of the opening. The ends of the spring are secured in the corners of the bag, preferably by rivets C, which pass through the bag just inside the spring. Although rivets constitute the preferable form of fastening for the spring, yet other means, such as clips or stitching, may be employed, if desired. The spring holds the edges of the mouth closely together throughout their length.

To insure against the escape of tobacco from the bag when the mouth is closed, aflap D is provided on one of the edges of the month, which extends into the bag and is held over the ends of the spring by the rivets passing through the flap and the opposite side of the bag. The flap D may be made longer than the side of the bag to which it is attached, or vice versa, by gathering or tucking, so as to cause the side of the flap to bulge out when the bag is held closed. This bulge in the bag is shown in Fig. 5. When the bag is closed, this bulge forms a pocket which will catch the tobacco, and it causes the flap to lie flat against the bag when the mouth is pressed open.

To enable the spring to give the proper feeding action and to control the amount of tobacco fed out, the opening is made shorter than the width of the bag proper.

To open the bag and feed the contents out, the bag is tilted a little above a horizontal position, and the ends of the spring are pressed toward each other, thus spreading apart the sides of the bag and bending the middle of I00 the spring back into the tobacco. The pressure on the spring is then relaxed, whereupon it will recoil and carry forward with it to the mouth a small definite quantity of tobacco, which will fall out on again pressing the ends of the spring to open the mouth of the bag. The spring being placed near and extending across the mouth of the bag sulficiently obstructs the opening to prevent a greater amount of tobacco falling out than is fed for- Ward by the recoil of the spring. By repeating this pressure and relaxation of the spring a regular and even feed of the tobacco is obtained. This feeding action is continued until the desired amount for use has been fed out. To obtain the feeding action, it will be seen that the spring must be non-volute to give the necessary recoil, as with a spiral spring the bending of the same would merely result in its winding upon itself, and it is also necessary that the spring should be near and directly opposite the mouth. It is also desirable for the purpose of feeding that the spring should be fiat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A bag for tobacco and similar material havinga spring closure and feeder consisting and relaxation of the same feeds out the contents of the bag in regular definite quantities, substantially as described.

2. A bag having a spring closure and feeder consisting of a spring extending within the bag a short distance from the opening of the bag and lying directly opposite the opening, the ends of the spring being fastened in the ends of the opening and said opening made shorter than the width of the body of the bag, substantially as described.

3. A bag having a spring closure and feeder consisting of a spring extending down into the bag opposite the opening thereof and having its ends secured in the sides of the bag at the ends of the opening, a turned-down flap on one of the top edges of the bag and rivets passing through the sides and flap, and securing said spring in the bag, substantially as described.

4. A bag having a spring-closure, a flap on the edge of the opening of said bag, said flap and the side of the bag to which it is attached folded or gathered to make one part shorter than the other so as to form a bulge or pocket when the mouth is closed and to cause the flap to lie flat when the bag is pressed open, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. SIl EGEL.

Witnesses:

JAS. H. BLACKWOOD, ALEX. L. MCMILLAN. 

